Drying apparatus



July 29, 1947. r, BRoGLiE DRYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1944 s` snets-sneet 1 I l f f l 1 r l lll l l, f llllnl l l l Il u r 'lll l I I I l l I I l l l l v o E F'1a.i.

INvl-:N'ron I FRANCIS J. Bizoama wlTNEsSEs:

ATTORNEY July 29, 1947. F. J. BROGLIE DRYING APPARATUS Filed sept. 2v, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y ATTORNEY E L mm; EB mik N Y F .ma E N H w H Patented July 29, 1947 DRYING APPARATUS Francis J. Broglie, Mansleld, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsbur`gh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 27, 1944, Serial No. 555,959

(Cl. 3ft-82) 10 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for drying fabrics or the like, more particularly to a clothes drier of the domestic type, and has for an object to provide improved 'apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the loading and unloading of a drier of the type set forth.

A further object of the invention is to substantially reduce the amount of lint carried in suspension in the air discharged from the drier to the ambient atmosphere.

Further objects of the invention are to provide improved means for driving the basket of a domestic drier and for circulating heated air within the drier structure.

These and other objects are eiected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the drier with the enclosing casing shown in section and with portions of the air circulating and liltering apparatus broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a detail taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a View showing a modified arrangement of a portion of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1.

Reference will now be had'to the drawings,

wherein I have shown my invention applied to a domestic clothes drier, including generally a casing structure I0, a perforate basket Il rotatably disposed therein about a horizontal axis, a basket driving mechanism I2 disposed in the lower right-hand side of the casing I 0, as viewed in Fig. 1, and a lint trap mechanism I3 arranged in the lower left-hand side of the casing I0.

In accordance with my invention, the casing structure I- includes a front wall having a lower portion I4 arranged in a vertical plane and an upper portion I inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the vertical wall portion I4 in an oblique plane. The casing also includes a substantially horizontal top wall I6, a pair of side walls I'I and a rear wall I8. The inclined front wall portion I5 is provided with an access opening I9, which is closed bya suitable cover or door 2| which may be removable or, if desired, hinged to the front wall portion I5 in any well understood manner. Preferably, the lower front wall portion I4 is indented or recessed to provide atoe space 22 at the front of the cabinet.

A chassis or frame 23 is arranged within the cabinet I0 for supporting the mechanism contained therein, and includes a rectangular foundation 24 shown, by way of example, as constructed of angle iron and extending peripherally of the cabinet at the bottom thereof. The chassis also includes a vertically-extending column 25 arranged intermediate the side walls I'I and adjacent the back wall I8. The lower end of the column 25 is fixed, for example, by means of a gusset 26 to a forwardly-extending support 2'I which is arranged within and secured tothe rectangular foundation 24.

The basket II includes a generally cylindrical side wall 28 which is perforate substantially throughout its extent, a number of the perforations being shown at 29. A circular back wall 3| is connected peripherally to the side wall 28 and is supported by a stub shaft 32 at the center thereof. The latter is journaled in a suitable bearing 33 carried by the column 25. The stub shaft 32 is preferably secured to an inwardlyextending dome 34 formed in the back wall 3l. The wall 3| is braced by one or more bracing members 35 secured to the stub shaft` 32 and to a portion of the back wall 3l spaced radially from the stub shaft 32.

- The: basket II includes a front wall 36 which is connected tothe front end of the cylindrical side wall 2B and which converges forwardly beneath a portion of the oblique front wall portion I5 of the'casing I0. Preferably the converging front wall 36 is of frusto-conical configuration, the uppermost portion of which is substantially parallel to the inclined wall portion I5, as shown in Fig. 2. An access opening 3I is formed centrally within the front wall 36 adjacent the opening I9 in the casing I0. The basket may be provided with a plurality of vanes '38 extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical side wall 28 for tumbling the fabrics in the basket as the latteris rotated. These vanes 38 may be secured to the side wall 28 in any well understood manner, such as, for example, by welding.

A chute 39 extends inwardly from the front wall portion I5 of the casing IIJ, between the.

opening I9 therein and the opening 3l in the basket, for conveying fabrics admitted through the opening I9 to the interior of the basket. The chute 39 preferably extends within the opening 31, as shown in Fig, 2, to prevent the creeping of fabrics through the space intervening between the edges of the opening 31 and the chute 39. As shown in Fig. l, the chute 39 is generally circular in cross section but diverges inwardly toward the basket. The chute 39 is carried by the casing structure, in any well-known manner, and may include a plurality of openings 4| in a side thereof for the discharge of air from the basket Il, as described hereinafter. 1

A generally cylindrical baille structure 42 encompasses the basket and is substantially coextensive with the side wall 28 thereof. The baille 42 is carried by brackets 40 and is provided with a recess or cove 43 in its upper left-hand side, as viewed in Fig. l, for the reception of an electric heater indicated at 44. As the construction of the heater 44 per se forms no part of the present invention, it has not been shown in detail. Any suitable form of electric heater may be used. The heater 44 functions to heat the air within the baille 42 and to radiate heat inwardly through the various openings 29 in the basket to the fabrics within the basket.

The apparatus for rotating the basket l| includesan electric motor 45 carried by brackets 46 which are fixed to a tiltable base 41, The latter is supported intermediate its ends by a rod or pivot 48, the ends of which are carried by a pair of supporting members 49 xed to and supported by the forwardly-extending support 21. A spring the lower end of which is fixed to the rectangular foundation 24 and the upper end of which is secured to the outer end of the base 41, biases the base 41 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. l, about the pivot 48 at all times.

The shaft 52 of the motor 45 carries a friction pinion 53 which engages a friction wheel 54. The latter is carried by a shaft 55 journaled in the upper end of an arm 56, the lower end of which is supported by a pivot 51 carried by the inner end of the tilting base 41. A second friction pinion 58 is carried by the shaft 55 and is rotatable with the friction wheel 54 for driving the basket H. In this connection, the pinion 58 frictionally engages a'ring or band 59 extending peripherally around the basket lat the forward end of the side wall 28 thereof.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the spring '5| provides an upward bias on the pivot 51 and arm 56. 'I'his bias or force provides two components, one of which acts radially inwardly from the shaft 55 to the axis of the basket whereby a predetermined pressure -is maintained between the friction wheel 58 and the driving band or ring 59 formed on the basket. The other force compo.. nent is directed horizontally toward the motor shaft and provides a predetermined pressure between the friction wheel -54 and the pinion 53. The flexiblesupport, defined by the tiltable base 41 and the swinging arm 56, automatically provides pressure between the driving pinions and their driven members irrespective of wear or any eccentricity of the driven ring 59 about its axis. It will be apparent that any wear of the driving band 59 or the pinion 58 will be accompanied by a slight upward movement of the shaft 55 under the influence of the spring 5|. Any wear between the pinion 53 and the friction Wheel 54 will be compensated by a slight movement of. the shaft 55 to the right about the pivot 51 as an axis.

The air within the basket I is continually circulated during rotation of the basket by means of a blower 6| of conventional construction and driven by an extension of the shaft 52 of the motor 45. The blower 6| is carried by a bracket 62 which is xed to the tiltable base 41. The

'4 inlet of the blower is connected by means of a duct structure 63 with the interior of the basket H. As shown, the duct structure 63 is connected to one side of the chute 39 and communicates with the interior of the chute by means of the various openings 4|. The outlet of the blower 6| is connected by means of a duct structure 64 with the inlet 65 of the lint trap structure i3. Flexible connectors or boots 66. formed of any suitable material, such as heavy canvas, are arranged within the ducts 63 and 64 to reduce the transmission of noise and to permit slight movements of the blower 6| as its supporting base 41 is tilted.

A second embodiment, showing a modified arrangement of the inlet duct to the blower 6|, is shown in Fig. 5. Here, the inlet duct to the blower 6I is shown at |63 and conveys air from within a lower portion of the baille 42 through a large opening |64. The boot 66 is disposed nearer the blower inlet in this embodiment and the duct |63 extends along and exteriorly of the baffle 42 in a direction parallel to the axis of the basket In this embodiment, of course. no air openings 4| would be provided in the chute 39.

The lint trap I3 includes a. generally rectangular casing or box 61 having the inlet opening 65 formed in the upper portion thereof and a discharge opening 68 formed in the rear wall thereof. The latter communicates with an opening 69 formed in the baille 42 by means of a discharge duct 1|. Arranged intermediate the inlet and outlet openings 65 and 68, respectively, is a filter or screen 12 coextensive with the length and Width of the box 61. The filter 12 is removably carried by tracks 13 formed in the opposite side walls of the box 61, as best shown in Figs. l and 3. The filter 12, as will be apparent, is arranged in a. generally horizontal plane so that the air entering the inlet 65 must traverse the filter 12 as it moves downwardly to the outlet opening 68 of the trap I3. 'I'he front end of the filter 12 is secured, as shown at 14, to a front cover 15 which closes a relatively large opening 16 formed in the front of the box 61. The filter 12 may be readily Withdrawn through the opening 16 for cleaning by means of a handle 11 secured to the cover 15.

As described hereinafter, the blower 6| effects a flow of air from the ambient atmosphere through the basket, as weil as recirculation of the air within the basket. Air from the ambient atmosphere is admitted to the interior of the casing I6 and the basket Il through a plurality of louvered openings 18 shown, by way of example, in the front Wall` portion I5 of the casing. Air is discharged to the ambient atmosphere from the box 61 of the lint trap I3 on the downstream side of the filter 12 through a plurality of openings 19 formed in the removable cover 15. In order to regulate the amount of air admitted through the opening 18 and discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the openings 19,-av

valve or baille plate 8| is slidably carried by the cover 15. As best shown in Fig. 4, the valve 8| includes a number of openings 82 which register,r more or less, with the openings 19. The bailiell may be moved to place the openings 19 and 92 completely in registry foi` effecting a, maximum Operation In operating the drying apparatus, fabrics in a damp condition as they come from a wringer or a centrifuge of a washing machine are dropped through the access opening I9 and are guided by the chute 39 to the interior of the basket II, after which the cover 2l is actuated to its closed posi- 'tion.- The electric heater 44 is energized by a suitable switch mechanism (not shown) for imparting heat radially through the perforations 29 to the air and to the fabrics within the basket. Operation of the motor 45 may be initiated with the energization of the heater 44 or operation may be delayed until the temperature of the air within the drier has been increased to a temperature which is optimum for drying. A suitable control mechanism for the heater and the motor is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 541.797, filed June 23, 1944.

Operation of the motor 45 initiatesthe rotation of the basket I I, -as described heretofore, and the circulation of air by the blower 6I is also initiated. Rotation of the basket causes the fabrics to be tumbled therein. the fabrics being elevatedby the vanes 38 as they move upwardly in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) to the uppermost region of the basket andl then fall clear of and across the basket to the bottom thereof. As the heated air has a high capacity for absorbing moisture, the fabrics are progressively dried. During the drying operation, the blower withdraws air from the basket and the chute 39 through the openings 4I and duct 63 or, as shown in Fig. 5, through the opening |64 in the baiiie 42. The air discharged from the blower .passes through the duct 64 to the box 61 of the lint trap and thence through the lter 12, outlet 68 and duct 1I to the space intervening between the cylindrical baille 42 and the basket. The air then passes through the openings 29 in the basket to the interior thereof. It will be understood that the duct 64, the box 61 of the lint trap I3 and the duct 'II constitute a plenum chamber so that a portion ofthe air conveyed through the lint trap I3 is discharged to the ambient atmosphere through the openings 19 and 82, the amount of air so discharged being determined by the adjustment of the valve plate 8|. Make-up air from the ambient atmosphere enters the casing I through the air inlet opening 18 and then passes through the open end of the bafe 42 and the cover 43 to the region around the basket for recirculation. as described.

It will be understood that during the initial stages of the drying, a substantial portion of the heat generated by the heater 44 is converted to latent heat as the moisture in the fabrics is vaporized so that the rise in temperature of the air is slow at this time. less heat is converted as latent heat and more heat is imparted to the air and fabrics as sensible heat so that the temperature of the air increases more rapidly. A suitable thermostatic control, not shown in the present application but disclosed in the copending application referred to heretofore, may be provided for terminating operation of the drier in response to a. predetermined high temperature which prevails when the fabrics are dry, or manually-controlled switching means may be employed, as is well understood.

During the tumbling of the fabrics, especially in a dry condition, considerable lint is dislodged from the fabrics and is picked up by the circulating air stream. The lint trap I3 is provided to prevent the discharge of such lint to the ambient 6 atmosphere. Since all of the air discharged by the blower 6I must traverse the lter 12, the lint carried in suspension by the air will collect on the upper surface of the filter 12. Periodically, the lter 'I2 is removed through the opening 'I6 at the front end of the box 61 and the lint collected thereon is removed by brushing.

Loading and unloading of the basket I I as well as inspection of the load in the basket are facilitated by the location of the access opening I9 in the inclined front wall of the casing, in combination with the chute 39 which' guides the fabrics to the interior of the basket. Loading is effected by merely dropping the fabrics through the opening I9 upon the chute 39 which guides the fabrics to the basket and unloading is facilitated since the operator may reach' downwardly through the chute without squatting or objectionable stooping. Where the front wall of a drier casing is vertical, the operator must squat to reach through the access opening if the maximum height of the casing is to be maintained not greater than 37 inches, which is the generally Y) acceptable height for apparatus of this kind. Furthermore, the load in the basket II may be viewed at any time by the operator from a standing or erect position.

VThe drive mechanism I2 which I have described is quiet in operation and may be easily serviced or replaced since all of the drive elements in cluding the'motor45, the friction wheels 53, 54 a-nd 58, and the supports therefor are carried by the base 4l and denne a unit structure which may be readily detached from the drier structure merely by removing the spring 5| and pivot 48.,

approximate center of gravity of the load and defines a support for a substantial portion of the weight of the basket and its load. The bearing As the drying progresses,

33 and shaft 3 2 are relieved'of this weight and may be of relatively light construction, these members functioning mainly to center the basket properly within the casing and without being subjected to relatively large bending moments which would otherwise prevail in an overhung basket construction of this kind.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved clothes drier of the domestic type which may be readily loaded and unloaded and wherein the lint usually separated from the fabrics in apparatus of this kind is prevented from circulating to the surrounding atmosph'ere. Furthermore, the drive for the basket of the drier is so constructed and arranged that it defines a support for a substantial portion of the weight of therotating basket so that a relatively light and inexpensive bearing structure may be employed for positioning the basket. The novel friction drive is quiet in. operation and compensates automatically for Wear in the friction drive wheels or for any eccentricity of the rotating parts.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art th'at it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specically set forth i the appended claims.

, WhatIclaim is:

.1. In apparatus fordrying fabrics, the combination of a casing structure having a front wall including a 1owe r portion arranged in a generally vertical plane and an upper portion inclined rearwardly and upwardly from said lower portion in an oblique plane, said upper portion of the front wall having an access opening formed therein, a basket for containing the fabrics to be dried disposed within the casing structure, said basket having an opening in the front side thereof for the ingress and egress of fabrics, a chute extending inwardly and` downwardly from the upper portion of the casing front wall toward the basket and terminating in spaced relation with the latter for conveying fabrics from vthe access opening in the casing structure to the opening in the front wall of the basket, means for supporting the basket for movement about a generally horizontal axis, driving means for moving the basket angularly about said axis, means for translating air through the basket, said casing structure having air inlet and air outlet openings formed therein for the passage of air translated by said air-translating means, and means for heating said air.

2. In a drier for fabrics or the like, the combination of a cabinet .having a front wall including a lower portion arranged in a generally vertical plane and an upper portion inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the lower portion in an oblique plane, said upper portion having an access opening formed therein, a top wall extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the front wall, a basket journaled within the cabinet for movement about a generally horizontal axis and including a substantially cylindrical side wall disposed beneath said top wall of the cabinet and adjacent thereto, said basket having a front wall provided with an opening for the ingress and egress of the fabrics and said front wall of the basket converging forwardly from the side wall of the basket toward the opening in the basket, the converging front wall of the basket being disposed beneath the oblique upper portion of the front wall of the cabinet, a chute extending inwardly and downwardly from said oblique portion of the cabinet front wall toward the basket and terminating in spaced relation with the basket, said chute communicating with the openings in the cabinet and basketfor the delivery of fabrics to the basket, driving means for moving the basket angularly about its axis, means for translating air through the basket, said casing structure having air inlet and air outlet openings formed therein for the passage of air translated by said air-translating means, and means for heating said air.

3. In apparatus for drying fabrics, the combination of a casing structure including a front of air translated by said air-translating means,

and means for heating said air.

4. In a drier for fabrics or the like, the combination of a casing having an access opening therein, a perforate basket rotatable about a generally,l horizontal axis within the casing for tumbling the fabrics contained therein, means for rotatably supporting the basket, said basket having an opening formed in the end thereof adjacent the access opening of the casing, a chute carried by the casing for conveying fabrics from wall having an upper portion thereof inclined rearwardly and upwardly of the casing structure and provided with an acess opening therein, and a generally horizontal top wall extending rearwardly from theupper portion of the front wall, a basket for the fabrics disposed within the cabinet structure, means for supporting the basket for movement about a substantially horizontal axis, said basket having a portion of major diameter arranged beneath the top wall and a forward portion of reduced diameter disposed in part beneath the inclined portion of said front wall, said portion of reduced diameter having an opening therein for the ingress and 'egress of the fabrics, a chute extending rearwardly YVand the access opening in the casing through the opening in thebasket to the interior of the latter, a generally cylindrical baiiie spaced from and encompassing the basket and having a recess formed therein, an electric heater arranged within the recess for radiating heat toward the basket, a fan for circulating air through the basket. driving means for rotating said basket and said fan, said chute having an air opening formed in a siderthereof, an inlet duct connecting said air opening and the inlet of the fan, a discharge duct for conveying air from the fan to the space intervening between said baiiie and the basket, a lint trap interposed in said discharge duct for separating lint carried in suspension by the stream of air, means for admitting air from the ambient atmosphere to the interior of the casing and means for discharging filtered air from the lint trap to the ambient atmosphere.

5. In a clothes drier, the combination of a casing having an access opening therein, a perforate basket for tumbling the clothes and having an opening therein, means for supporting the basket within the casing for movement about an axis, a chute carried by the casing for conveying clothes from said access opening through the opening of the basket to the interior of the latter, means disposed within the casing and actuating the basket about its axis for tumbling the clothes therein, a fan for circulating air through the basket, means for driving said fan, said chute having an air opening formed in the side thereof, an inlet duct connecting said air opening and the inlet of the fan, a discharge duct for conveying air from the fan, a lint trap receiving air from the fan and including a iilter for separating lint fromY the air, means for delivering iiltered air from said trap to the basket, means for conveying air from the ambient atmosphere to the casing, means for discharging filtered air from the lint trap to the ambient atmosphere and means for heating the air in said basket.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 including means for adjusting the quantity of filtered air discharged from the casing to the ambient atmosphere.

'7. In a drier for fabrics, the combination of a. basket for containing the fabrics, a ring carried by the basket and rotatable therewith, a motor, a friction drive pinion driven by the motor, friction wheel means driven by said pinion and in'driving engagement with said ring, a bearing structure for rotatably supporting the friction wheel means, a bracket for supporting said bearing structure, a pivot carrying said bracket and means biasing said pivot for urging said friction Wheel means into driving engagement with said ring and said drive pinion.

8. In apparatus for drying fabrics or the like, the combination of a basket 'for containing the fabrics to be dried, said basket having a circular driving band formed thereon and rotatable about an axis, a motor, a friction drive pinion driven by said motor, friction wheel means having a portion of large diameter engaging said pinion and including a portion of smaller diameter engaging said driving band, a bearing rotatably carrying said friction wheel means, a movable member carrying said bearing, a pivot spaced from the bearing and supporting the member, the axis of said bearing being intermediate the axis of the friction drive pinion and a straight line which intersects the axis of the driving band and the axis of said pivot and means biasing said pivot toward the driving band, the construction and' arrangement being such that predetermined pressures are maintained between the friction Wheel means and the band and between the friction wheel means and pinion.

9. In apparatus for drying fabrics or the like, the combination of a basket for containing the fabrics to be dried, said basket having a circular driving band formed thereon and rotatable about an axis, a motor, a friction drive pinion driven by the motor, a driven wheel frictionally engaging the pinion, a second friction drive pinion rotatable with said wheel and frictionally en` gaging said band, bearing means rotatably carrying said wheel and said second friction drive pinion. a base, supporting means for said base and providing for tilting movement of the base toward said band, bracket means carrying the bearing means, a pivot movable with the base for supporting the bracket means, the axis of said bearing means being intermediate the axis of the rst-mentioned drive pinion and a line intersecting the axis of said driving band and the axis of said pivot, and means for biasing said base and pivot toward the driving band. the construction and arrangement being such that predetermined pressures are maintained between the iirst drive pinion and the wheel driven thereby l0 and between the second drive pinion and said driving band.

10. In a drier for fabrics or the like, the combination of a perforate basket for containing the fabrics to be treated, a frame for rotatably supporting the basket, a motor, friction drive means connecting the motor and basket, a base supporting the motor and friction drive means and tiltably supported upon said frame, and means for translating air through the basket including a fan carried by said base and movable therewith, means for rotating said fan, inlet and discharge ducts communicating with spaced portions of the basket for conveying air translated by the fan and flexible conduit means arranged respectively in said ducts, said casing structure having air inlet and air outlet openings formed therein for the passage of air translated by said airtranslating means.

FRANCIS J. BROGLlE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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